Breathe for me
by Samara13
Summary: The Marauders have a hard time keeping Remus's problem secret, meanwhile another werewolf causes trouble and Peter is into dark business. Alternative ending! Been a very long time since updates but got new inspiration!
1. Chapter 1

It was dark in the corridors of the fourth floor. It was late at night and almost everyone was asleep. Almost, because if you listened very closely you could hear a scraping sound. This scraping sound was caused by James Potter, who was serving his detention in one of the classrooms.

"Make sure I don't see a single spot on those tables Potter." "I'm going to take a look at Black, to see if the classroom's still in one piece."

James sighed. Mister Filch was the new caretaker. He was only in duty for three weeks but the Marauders were already his regular customers during detentions. James put his scrape down and whipped the sweat off his forehead. His duty was to get all the gum off the tables, without using any magic of course. James looked out the giant window in the wall behind him. The full moon was only visible for a little part, the rest was covered in dark clouds.

_I'm sorry Moony..._

"By Merlin Black, can't you do anything?"

James quickly grabbed his scrape and continued to remove a very large greenish piece of gum. Sirius and Filch walked in.

"Perhaps it's better if I keep you two in one room, so I can keep an eye on you two."

Sirius took one scrape from the bucket and got working on the table next to James's.

"What did you do?"

"I set the place on fire..."

"What...without a wand?"

"Well, I didn't see that candle..."

James laughed. He could see the image of Filch cursing at Sirius while killing the fire with his wand.

_Wait a minute...I've never seen Filch with a wand of his own before..._

"Who killed the fire?"

"I did, Filch threw my wand at me and screamed, well spit is a better word, to fix it."

The two kept on with removing gum and after fifteen minutes, Filch muttered something about finding Mrs. Norks and left the room.

"What's a Norks?" Sirius asked.

"Don't know, some kind of tree gull maybe."

Sirius sighed and looked at the now fully exposed moon.

"You're thinking about him too?"

"Yeah..."

"We should have thought about the moon stand before we blew up those dead frogs." Sirius said.

"It's Snivellus's fault, he kept on sucking up to Evans."

The image of Snape covered in frog guts appeared to them and both boys burst out in laughter.

"Black, Potter, you can leave." Filch said when he walked in with a pretty large cat with big yellow eyes.

Sirius and James both had a "Oooh so that's a Norks" look on their face.

"Didn't you hear me, get your asses out of here!"

The sixteen year old Gryffindor's ran out of the classroom. The windows were filled with the first glances of morning.

"I can't believe Filch kept us in detention for the entire night!" Sirius said.

"Yeah, we better get to our dormitory to check on Remus."

They walked three stairs up and walked into the seventh floor corridor.

"I hope he...aaah!"

Sirius walked into a small, chubby, blond boy. Both fell on the floor.

"Peter watch your step!" Sirius growled.

"Sorry Sirius..."

"What's going on Peter, why are you so nervous?" James asked.

"And why aren't you with Remus?" Sirius, who just stood up, asked.

"Well...he, I can't find him."

"What do you mean you can't find him, you were with him all night, in the shack...right?" James asked with a stronger voice with each word.

"Well...you weren't going so I thought..."

"You thought?" Sirius asked with a dark voice.

Peter Pettigrew's head got as red as the carpet.

"We've been with him for so many times, I got sick of it, staying all night up only to see a werewolf."

"TO LOOK AFTER YOUR FRIEND YOU'LL MEAN!"

"B...but...but it's going on for five and a half years now..." Peter squeaked by Sirius's outburst.

"And it will go on Peter, it never stops." James said almost like a whisper. "And we'll be there for him as many times as we can, at least I know I am."

Sirius nodded. "We better go look for him."

James, Sirius and Peter turned around and ran down the stairs.

"If anything happened to him, I'll kill you Peter!" Sirius growled.

"I still don't get it."

"Get what Peter?" James asked.

"Why we have to go with him every time, I mean, he's never _that_ injured that he can't heal himself."

"One more word Pettigrew and I swear..." Sirius said.

"Keep it quiet, we don't want anyone catching us this early!" James hissed.

The three of them crossed the grounds towards the Womping Willow. Peter just turned himself in a rat when Sirius saw something.

"Blood marks..." He said pointing to a small trail of red. "It's heading towards the forest."

"Peter Pettigrew you selfish cowardly bastard!" James screamed.

The rat squeaked and ran away, just avoiding a curse from Sirius.

"Come on."

Sirius turned away from the rat and followed his friend into the forest.


	2. Chapter 2

Even though the sun was shining, the thick trees of the Dark Forest made it impossible to look. Two bolls of light were shining brightly.

"He must be here somewhere, the blood track is getting bigger..." James said.

"Wait...listen."

They both stood still near an open field. A weird sort of gasping came from that direction. The boys walked into the open field. Tall, dark grass surrounded them. The gasping became louder. Suddenly James saw a figure lying on the ground.

"Remus?" James yelled.

He and Sirius ran towards their friend. Remus looked awful. His skin was paler than usual, his eyes were open but it seemed as if they couldn't see anything. His chest was going up and down rapidly. But that wasn't what Sirius and James were looking at. Remus's chest was covered in blood.

"Remus, can you hear me?" Sirius whispered.

To their surprise Remus answered.

"Y...yeah."

"Uh...Sirius?" James whispered as well.

Sirius looked at where James pointed at. Remus's back was still transforming, as well as his arms and legs.

"What happened?" James asked.

"D...don't know..." "Aaargh..."

Remus rolled on his side as his back made cracking sounds, sounds which indicated that the werewolves' bones were changing in human's. James and Sirius knew that hugging or comforting Remus would only cause more pain, so they stayed next to him, nervously looking at each other.

"Wh...where's Peter?" He suddenly panted.

"What, you didn't knew he would stay in the castle this night?" Sirius asked.

Remus pressed his still pointy teeth on each other when his arm twisted and his lower part stretched.

"N...no he came to the shack."

He groaned deeply. "But when I started to change...he was gone."

James and Sirius managed to held a stream of bad language inside. Remus's arms and legs were normal and his back made a final, sickening crack. Remus turned and sat on his knees, a sign for his friends to come in action.

"Let me see that wound." Sirius said.

Remus shake his head.

"What...why not?" Sirius asked insulted.

"N..not yet..."

James saw a twist in Remus's chest and pulled Sirius away just before Remus started vomiting badly.

"Ooh...that's why." Sirius said with a frown.

James was rubbing Remus's back, as he always did when his friend was throwing out everything the werewolf had eaten. Sirius could see the skull of probably a rabbit. Some fur was discovered as well. A few minutes later, Remus was leaning against a large tree.

"We should go look for Peter, maybe he's in danger."

"No, we should take you to the hospital wing." James said.

"No we can't..." Remus said.

"Remus, you have to, besides Madame Pomfrey won't discover what you are just because of that wound." Sirius said.

"You don't know that..."

"Remus look at that gap in your chest!" Sirius screamed. "We can't fix that for you."

Remus looked into Sirius blue eyes and then to James's brown ones as they kept staring at his grey ones.

"Alright."

And so three sixteen year old students walked over the school grounds towards the castle. Some students were already outside, so James gave his cloak to Remus.

"Cover your pants so no one will see the blood and dirt." Sirius suggested.

There was no answer to that. Both James and Sirius looked behind them. Remus's face was paler and they saw his eyes role away.

"Oh no you don't!" Both boys muttered as they caught their friend just in time.

How they ever managed to get an almost unconscious Remus all the way to the fourth floor they couldn't recall, but now they were sitting beside his bed. They told Madame Pomfrey he had an accident during some Defense Against The Dark Arts practise. Luckily, she didn't ask many questions. Remus was fast asleep.

"Excuse me lads, but aren't you supposed to be in class right now?" Madame Pomfrey asked. "Your friend will be able to return in class when he wakes up." She added nicely.

"Which class do we have anyway?"Sirius asked.

"Dunno, usually Moony or Wormtail knows." "But I might..."

They stopped in the corridor while James searched his bag. Finally he found a piece of paper on which he had been making cartoons on. With effort he could see his table.

"We are about to begin with Transfiguration."

"Ah Mcgonagall, she never gets too angry when I didn't do my homework."

The boys hurried to the first floor and were just in time. Mcgonagall was just naming the name list.

"Black, Sirius?"

"Right here professor."

"Well this might be the first time I don't have to check my list twice for students who are late."

She kept on reading.

"Lupin, Remus?"

"He's in the hospital wing professor, but he might come in later." Sirius said.

"Alright."

A couple of names later; "Pettigrew, Peter?"

"Present!"

James and Sirius looked behind them. Peter was sitting in a corner, next to a boy from Ravenclaw. The blond boy's head turned red when he saw the two look at him and he decided to stay focused on Mcgonagall.

After having presented everyone, with exception of Remus and a girl called Vera Couwall, who was in the hospital wing for a nasty cause of acne according to her best friend, professor Mcgonagall announced that they were going to the chapter about Animagusses.

"Turn to page 72 and read the first two paragraphs' and than answer the questions that are related to those." Mcgonagall said.

"There are approximately 36 Animagusses known..." Sirius muttered. "Well they are at least missing three eey."

At that moment the door opened and Remus walked in. Professor Mcgonagall nodded friendly to him and he sat behind Sirius and James. Immediately, Sirius stood up and sat next to the boy. It was a pact between James, Sirius and normally Peter to never let Remus sit alone after a full moon night.

"Mister Black...any reason for your abandon on Potter?" Mcgonagall asked.

"He had a Quidditch match yesterday and I believe he hadn't got the change to shower yet professor."

Almost the entire class laughed and professor Mcgonagall didn't know if she should laugh or feel sorry for James.


	3. Chapter 3

The only sound in the boys room was Sirius's loud snoring. The boy was lying on his stomach, one arm squeezed under his chest and the other hanging out of the bed. James, as always, was lying on his side with his arms crossed against his chest. Peter was curled up beneath the blankets. James and Sirius had ignored him the entire day. Remus was turning around.

I _ entered the shack along with Peter. The sun was almost down. A pile of clothes were neatly lay down in the closet. _

"_I'm glad you came Wormtail." "Wouldn't want to be alone tonight." _

"_No problem Mooney, that's what friends are for." _

"_Maybe we should consider a new lock for the door, I don't want to think about what would happen if I got through it and get to the school grounds." _

"_Perhaps Prongs and Padfoot will come too before...you know." _

"_Wouldn't hope on it, caretaker Filch is a tough one." _

_I cringed when a painful but familiar feeling came up my spine. _

"_You should change into a rat Peter..." _

_I turned around, Peter was gone. The pain spread out to my limbs and I fell on the ground. I scanned the ground to find the grey rat, but he was gone. A cloud infiltrated my mind, the werewolf was taking over. Just before I lost consciousness, I saw that the door was open. Panic filled me, but went away when I fainted._

_Slowly I regained consciousness. But...something was wrong. Normally, either Padfoot or Prongs would keep me down during the transformation but now I had the feeling I was still up. And something or someone was attacking me. My sight came back slowly and I could see a huge black beast struggle with me. _

James opened his eyes. Some strange noise had woke him up. Slowly he sat up and searched for his glasses, which he found on the ground.

"Hey Sirius, mind closing that air hole you call your mouth for one sec?"

He stood up, walked to the bed on his right side and tapped his snoring friend on his head, as he always did to wake Sirius.

"Wha...what's up?"

"Your snoring kept me awake."

"Oh sorry..."

James went back to his bed and looked at the ceiling of it. He frowned.

"I'm still hearing it."

Sirius took some time to listen. He heard it too, some squeaky sound. He stood up and walked two beds further.

"Oi Remus, do you hear th...?" "James!"

James immediately turned the lights on with one movement of his wand and ran to his friends. Remus was twitching and turning around heavily, it was like he was struggling with someone they could not see.

"What's going on?" Peters voice sounded from the bed next to Remus's.

"Wake up Mooney please." Sirius muttered while he and James tried to lock Remus between them.

"Oh not another nightmare..."Peter sighed while turning his back to them.

Sirius gave his darkest look to the boy, one that could have some of his animagus in it. Then his attention went back to Remus.

"Come on, get back to our world you book crazy smartpants."

It took them a lot of effort to try and keep Remus's body steady. And suddenly...

_Thud!_

"Aaauw!"

Sirius rubbed against his eye, the place Remus just hit with his fist.

"I think he heard you Padfoot." James laughed.

The contact with Sirius's face made Remus calm down and eventually he woke up. He was breathing heavily and tears filled his grey eyes.

"Hey there." James said.

"You had another nightmare?" Sirius asked.

They helped Remus sit up. His face was pale and he had dark circles underneath his eyes. Suddenly his eyes widened, a clear sign for James.

"Accio trash bin!"

The iron bucket came flying from the door into James's hands, just in time to put it in front of Remus. Both he and Sirius looked away while Remus emptied his stomach contains in it. They noticed he was shivering after he was finished puking.

"That must have been one hell of a nightmare, what was it about?" James asked.

Remus took some deep breaths.

"A...about last night..." "Me and Peter...walked into the shrieking shack." "Just before it started, I lost Peter...thought he was a rat already...and the door...the door...the door was open!"

"Steady breaths Mooney..." Sirius said when the boy started to hyperventilate.

"W...when...when I started to come too...I saw something fighting with me, or the werewolf...a huge black beast."

Remus stopped talking and stared in front of him.

"Well its gone now and your with us, so you're safe." James said gentle.

"I...I think it was a werewolf..." "When I looked at it, its eyes were changing."

"How could you tell?" Sirius asked, glad that his friend was able to talk without weird breaths in between.

"The yellow eyes of the werewolf slowly became brown human ones."

"So there's another werewolf here at Hogwarts?" James asked.

"I think so..."


	4. Chapter 4

Sirius and James had a sneaky smile on their faces. They were hiding behind a closet looking at Severus Snape who was reading a charms book.

"Are you sure it's the right book?" Sirius whispered.

"Yeah, that's the book we need for our Charms assignment."

"Which page?"

"Shouldn't take much longer..."

A few seconds later, Snape turned a page and suddenly his hands were covered in black boils. Behind the closet, the two Gryffindor's high fived each other while Snape cast out a whole lot of bad language with a lot of "Potter" and "Black" in it while making his way out of the library.

"So...how will we spend the rest of our Saturday?" Sirius asked.

"Well I know I've got a Quidditch Match starting in an hour."

"Ooh yeah right against Ravenclaw, right?"

"Yeah."

Both boys made their way to the Great Hall.

"Man, I'm starving." Sirius groaned. "It's not healthy to put a prank on Snivellus this early."

They walked through all the students who had an early breakfast and were going to the Quidditch stadium and finally found Remus and Peter.

"Where were you two?" Peter asked.

Both ignored the blonde boy and threw their plates full with bacon, toast and eggs. Remus looked at them with a curious face.

"We saw Snivellus going into the library." James said.

"Ah." Remus said understanding why his friends were late only by those words. "Nervous for the game?"

"Nah, we can beat Ravenclaw easily."

Remus nodded as answer as his mouth was filled with cereal. Suddenly he shivered and almost choked on his cereal.

"Are you okay?" James asked, padding the boy on the back.

"Yeah I just..." Remus said when he caught his breath.

He looked at his chest with a frown.

"Just what?" Sirius asked.

"N...nothing I guess." "Probably just a muscle..."

"Hey James, come on, time to beat Ravenclaw!" A not all too tall boy said.

He was a Beater called Jeffrey Crow. James didn't answer but kept looking at Remus, as were the other two.

"I'm fine really, it was nothing, now go before you're late." Remus said.

"We'll be there in a few minutes anyway." Peter said.

"Okay." James sighed as he stood up.

He shot a look at Sirius that said "keep an eye on him" which Sirius answered with a short nod. James then left.

Sirius loaded almost his entire plate into his mouth and now Peter and Remus watched him trying to swallow it at once. After a tremendous burp, they too left.

"And Remus, how is your Charms assignment going?" The black haired boy asked while they walked over the grounds.

"Pretty good, I've already been able to find the inventor of the Bubble Head Charm and wrote a two parchment long note about Wingardium Leviose and why it's an underestimated charm." "How about you?"

"Well..."

"You haven't started yet, have you?"

"I found my Charms book, it was in that cabinet next to my bed which I haven't opened since our... second year."

Remus laughed. They reached the Quidditch Stadium. It was already very crowded, but luckily they found a spot close to the field next to the entrance. The Gryffindor team entered the field with James first.

"There's a nasty wind, I think there's a storm coming up." Peter said, looking up to his friends hopefully, but like the past two weeks, they didn't respond.

The game began. Red and blue flew above their heads like flies.

"How long do you think it'll take them to win?" Sirius asked with a smirk.

"Don't know." He heard Remus say left from him.

Suddenly the entire Gryffindor section hold their breath. James Potter was already making a rapid leap towards the ground.

"Come on James!" Sirius muttered.

"He's flying towards us!" Peter squeaked.

Gryffindor cheered as their hero flew over them, chasing the small golden ball. For one moment he looked down to his friends. The confident smile on his face changed into a frown.

"What was that?" Sirius asked.

Peter shrugged. Sirius looked behind him and gasped. Remus was sitting on his knees, desperately trying to get air. Sirius fell on his knees beside his friend.

"Remus, what's wrong?"

"C...can't...breath."

"Come on, we'll get you out of here."

Sirius shot a glare at Peter, who immediately came into action. Fortunately they were close to the exit and not many people had seen Remus fall down. Within a few minutes, the three boys were at the grass in front of the Quidditch stadium.

"Okay, deep steady breaths Mooney." Sirius said while Remus lay next to him.

"I...I...my chest..."

"What about it?" Sirius asked while he was already pulling the boy's shirt up.

He cursed. The injury caused by the other werewolf last full moon, which madame Pomfrey had healed was back and bleeding heavily.

"I thought madame Pomfrey fixed it?" Peter asked.

"She did, we were there." Sirius muttered.

They heard footsteps behind them. James came running towards them, still in Quidditch uniform and his broom in his hand.

"What happened to you?" Peter asked.

James had a nasty wound on the side of his head which was also bleeding.

"Got hit by a Bludger, how is he?"

"What...oh great now I can take both of you to the hospital wing."

"This is not the time to moan _miss_ Black, now come on."

Sirius shot a glare at James but helped him with getting their friend on his feet. They began their journey back to the castle.

"Did you win the game?"

"Peter!" "This is not the time...and of course I won."


	5. Chapter 5

Peter and Sirius were sitting in the Gryffindor common room. James and Remus were still at the hospital wing. It had been so crowded there after the Quidditch match that madame Pomfrey had send away everyone without injury.

"It's been over a half hour." Sirius moaned.

At that moment the portrait opened and James and Remus walked in. Sirius almost jumped on them.

"_And?"_

"Madame Pomfrey healed the wound again, luckily it was crowded so she couldn't ask any questions." James said. "And my head's still on my body." He added quickly when Sirius tried to look at the side of his head.

"How are you feeling?" Peter asked looking at the light brown headed boy.

"Bit sleepy, that's all." Remus said.

They all sat down in the couch and James sat on the floor opposite to the others.

"I wonder how that wound got back all that sudden..." Sirius mumbled.

"Me too." Remus whispered.

There was a well known frown on his forehead.

"Oh no, you're not going to the library today." James said.

"James is right, you're staying here for the rest of the day." Sirius said.

Remus sighed. His friends could be very determined in things when it was about his health. But he was exactly the same, maybe even worse, so he didn't complain.

"As long as you bring me some chocolate from Honeydukes."

The three others looked at each other.

"You didn't forget about the trip to Hogsmead today, did you?"

"Oh man I was supposed to meet that girl at the teashop fifteen minutes ago!" Sirius said slapping his hand against his head.

"Who?" Peter asked.

"I dunno..."

"You forgot who you are dating today?"

"All I know is that she had long brown hair and I think green eyes..."

Both of them were already walking towards the portrait.

"Please stay here and relax, I'll bring loads of chocolate." James said with a bit guilty tone in his voice as he followed the two.

"Thanks, I'll be fine." Remus said with a laugh.

The portrait closed and he was alone. Suddenly Remus realised he was very hungry. He shot a glare at the clock and saw that is was half past twelve already.

_It probably will take a while before the guys come back with food. It wouldn't hurt to get to the Great Hall and get something to eat._

The sixteen year old hoist himself out of the couch and went through the portrait. Even the corridors were deserted. It wasn't until at the stairs at the second floor he saw a group of second years of Huffelpuff. The Great Hall was as deserted. There were only three students, Ravenclaws, first years by the looks of it and they were finishing their desert. Professor Dumbledore, Professor Mcgonagall and Professor Flitwick were still eating as well, although it seemed as they were almost finished.

Remus sat down at the end of the Gryffindor table and large plates of chicken wings, salad and rice appeared along with a bottle of Pumpkin Juice. The boy loaded his plate full with salad and began to eat.

"Not in the mood for chicken, mister Lupin?"

Remus looked up to see his headmaster standing in front of him. The rest of the professors had left through the back of the hall.

"Uhm...well no...not really." The boy stammered.

"Mind if I join you?"

"No sir, not at all."

Professor Dumbledore sat next to Remus and a plate and goblet appeared in front of him. The man immediately threw his plate full with chicken wings and rice.

"The professors and I always get food like salmon and shrimps, but I prefer the student's food."

He took a bite from a wing.

"Nothing better than a good piece of chicken."

Remus didn't know what to say but decided to laugh.

"Where are your friends, mister Potter, Black and Pettigrew if I'm right?"

"Yes professor, they're at Hogsmead."

"And why aren't you?"

Dumbledore looked at Remus with his deep blue eyes.

"Well...I wasn't feeling that well."

"Yes madame Pomfrey mentioned seeing you at the hospital wing, twice in two weeks."

Remus panicked.

_He knows, he knows! Why else would he come to me? _

"Is there...something you'd like to tell me Remus?"

Remus looked up from his salad. For a moment he actually wanted to tell. For one brief moment, the feeling of being secret-free for the first time in his Hogwarts history seemed to overwhelm him. But then the creeping ice like feeling kicked into his stomach. If he'd actually would tell, he was sure of being expelled and that would mean he would never see his friends again.

"No professor, I just have a cold or something, that's all."

"Alright, just remember that my door is always open, if you change your mind."

"I will professor, but I have to get to the library, Charms assignment is due Monday."

"Ah what joy is brings me to see the eagerness of a student." Professor Dumbledore smiled.

Remus nodded and left the Great Hall.


	6. Chapter 6

"Okay no panic Remus, you're going to the library to find out what's going on..." Remus whispered to himself for the fifth time while he started climbing the stairs.

Some younger Gryffindors stared at him while he marched by them. Almost all the first and second years were in the library. Remus heard a girl with orange hair freak out against her two friends about a Transfiguration paper.

_Okay, werewolves..._

The boy started searching through the bookshelves at the back of the library. Unfortunately he had to be careful no one would caught him with books about werewolves. An hour later, Remus had five books in which the answer could be. He had just started reading when suddenly...

"Mister Lupin, any explanation for your werewolf obsession?"

He froze. In just one minute he saw how he would be brought to Professor Dumbledore, who would expel him. Slowly he turned around.

"Damn Sirius!"

"Sorry Mooney but you had it coming." The boy with the black, shoulder length hair said.

"Yeah you promised you would stay in the common room." James said.

"I didn't promise anything..."

The two other boys sat next to him.

"Where's Peter?"

"The idiot stood us up." Sirius said.

Remus looked at them with a confused look.

"Wormtail decided that hanging out with Slythering is more fun." James explained.

"No!"

"Yes!" Two voices said as one.

"I'm starting to have my doubts about him." Sirius muttered.

"What's all this?" James asked while opening one of the other books.

"I hope that I can find out what that strange wound exactly is and how to cure it...for good."

Sirius looked at a dark red book.

"_Beast's Irritations and Cures._" He said. "Perhaps there's a cure for my flees..."

After two hours they had read through all the books twice.

"Nothing!" James said throwing the book on the table.

"Come on Prongs, a little positive energy please." Sirius joked.

He had stopped reading fifteen minutes ago.

"Forget it!" Remus sighed.

"Okay I'm quitting, if even Mooney gives up..." James replied

"It has to be something that has to be related to the fact that another _thing_ has bitten me, I've been bitten by most forest creatures."

"I wonder who the other _thing_ is." James said. "I mean, if it attacks you every time..."

"I've been thinking about that as well and wanted to talk to you guys." Remus said staring at his friends. "I don't think it's a good idea if you continue coming with me."

"What?"

"Are you crazy?"

"Mooney, it is essential that we come with you from now on." Sirius said. "We have to protect you against that other thing."

"But Padfoot..."

"No more word Remus John Lupin, we are going with you!" James stated.

"Going where?"

All three boys jumped up to see Lily Evans standing in front of them.

"Uh...hey Lily, how long have you been standing there?" James asked with his nicest voice.

"I just walked by to return my book."

She waved with a black covered book titled: _Veena and where to find them._

"So you're still in Care of Magical Creatures huh Evans?" Sirius asked quickly. "Heard it's pretty tough this year."

Lily frowned by the sudden change of subject.

"Not quit." "What are you studying?"

She looked at the pile of books surrounding the boys.

"Uhm nothing interesting." Remus said. "We're working on the Charms assignment."

"Aren't you in the wrong section then?"

"No...because Sirius here has the Wingardium Leviosa charm as his subject for the history part." Remus quickly answered.

Lily nodded, decided she had nothing left to ask and walked away. Sirius whistled softly and James let a sigh of relief.

"Thought she would never leave."

"And that's the girl you're gonna marry."

"Just that I like her does not mean I will marry her!" James said with a very high tone.

Remus listened at the argue between his friends while he replaced all the books on their shelves.

"Come on, I want to check my assignment for Monday."

"Can you talk about anything else then Charms Mooney?" Sirius asked while he and James followed him.

"Yes I can talk about History of Magic."

"What do you mean?"

"The essay about the Goblin War due Wednesday." "And you can't borrow my book cause I haven't started it either."

"Damn now I have to find that book as well..."


	7. Chapter 7

The door to the Shrieking Shack was roughly torn apart. Wood was lying around the floor. The room itself wasn't looking any better. A trail of different footprints were covering the narrow corridor that led to the Whomping Willow and at the end of it there was even a small trail of blood. Outside, it was war.

Prongs charged, head down, antlers pointing forward, and hit the giant black werewolf. Mooney was crawling away with Padfoot watching his back. Prongs managed to hit the black werewolf in the side, but now it went after him. With loud barks, Padfoot attacked the werewolf by biting it in its back. The werewolf answered it by throwing him off and cut him with his forepaw. The black haired dog yelped. Again the giant white stag charged, throwing the werewolf into the bushes. Heavily panting, both Padfoot and Prongs returned to Mooney's side, waiting for the next attack. But that didn't come. Slowly the first glances of sunlight shined upon them. The dog and stag returned to their human figures.

"Remus!" James said while kneeling next to the werewolf.

Sirius on the other hand slowly walked towards the bushes in which they had last seen the black werewolf. Carefully he looked between them, but there was no one, only a trail of black hair, footprints and some drops of blood.

"He's bleeding heavily!"

Sirius decided that his friend was more important than to follow the trail and ran back to James. Remus just started to transform. The brown haired werewolf cried softly when its snout shrank, its hair disappeared and its bones started to crack and turn. The gaping flesh wound in his neck was now better visible and lots of blood came out of it. As last, the yellow eyes of the werewolf slowly became Remus's grey and they were filled with panic immediately. He was gasping for air and tried to touch the wound with his hand, but James stopped him.

"Calm down Mooney..." Sirius whispered. "We're fixing you up."

As preparation for this night, James and Sirius had studied more advanced healing spells.

_Healio Murmelio!_

With a small trembling, James slowly followed the wound with the point of his wand. A thin, orange glow covered the wound, which closed. Large gulps of air filled Remus's lungs as his panic faded away. Sirius repeated the spell on James's side and James on Sirius's arm.

"T...thanks..." Remus whispered.

The others didn't speak but just smiled.

"Did you...see him?"

"No, there's a trail in the bushes but..." Sirius said.

"Let's get back, before anyone misses us." James said.

The two of them took Remus's hand and hoist him up. The boy tried to walk on his own but his friends wouldn't let him. Twenty minutes later, they fell on their beds.

"Potions begins in an hour."

The three of them looked up to see the small figure of Peter in the other bed.

"Good, that means I've got two hours to catch up my sleep." Sirius groaned while grabbing his pillow and squeezing it underneath his chin.

Remus turned to face his friends.

"Hey guys?"

"We know Remus, it's no problem." Two voices said as one.

Sirius's snoring and James's soft breathing filled the room. Remus however couldn't find any sleep. He stared out of the window to see the sun rise. Seventy five minutes later, he looked how James crawled out of bed.

"You're going to Potions?"

James looked up as Remus got out of bed too.

"Yeah, I've skipped the last two lessons already." "Are you sure you're going?"

"Yes, we're making the Shrinking Solution today, that's pretty advanced stuff."

James laughed and then looked at the bed next to him.

"Better leave him 'till Divination, don't you think?"

"He said he wasn't going, so I guess he was planning to stay here already."

The boys quickly put on their uniforms and went for a quick breakfast. Peter was still sleeping, but they weren't intending no waking him.

"Does it hurt?" James asked when Remus took a weird face as he gulped down his juice.

"A little, it's nothing."

After making sure they both at least ate one toast (bacon for James, eggs for Remus) they head for the dungeons. They were just in time before professor Slughorn closed the door. The two boys immediately seized the table at the back of the classroom. Normally the four Marauders would share the table, but now it was just the two of them.

"I don't see Peter." Remus said.

"Probably somewhere between the green ones." James said, casting a dark glance to the other side of the room.

Everyone in the class stopped talking at professor Slughorn started to check the presentation.

"Black, Sirius?"

"He wasn't feeling very well sir, so he decided to stay in bed for the first hour." Remus said.

Slughorn threw a "yeah right" look to the last table before continuing. Then he named Peter.

"Pettigrew, Peter?"

Everyone instinctively looked behind. Remus raised his eyebrows and James shrugged his shoulders. After note Peter as absent, Slughorn began to make an example of the Shrinking Solution. Remus immediately began to take notes, while James read all the messages other students had left on their table.

There were just ten minutes left of the lesson and almost everyone was finishing their own potions when Peter ran in.

"S...sorry...sorry Professor, I must have slept in." He said with a high pinched voice.

"Very well Pettigrew, this is your first strike so you won't get detention." "You will however make a Shrinking Solution in your own time and hand it in next lesson."

"Yes Professor."

James had just put his vial on the teachers desk and walked back to Remus when Peter had come in.

"He's lying." James whispered.

"What, how do you know?" Remus asked while putting the rat spleens back in the cabinet behind their table.

"He was twitching with his left eye."

"Oooooh..." "Why do you think he's lying?"

"Don't know but I don't have a good feeling about it."


	8. Chapter 8

Sirius took a face of disgust.

"Oh come on, it's not that bad, is it?" James asked with a smirk.

"Shut up Prongs!"

He shove the teacup to Remus, who gave his to James, who gave his to Sirius.

"Please look carefully to the remains of the tea leaves and write down the first image you see." Professor Trelawny said while walking through the classroom. "Then search it in your textbook."

"I see...I think it's a fish..." Sirius muttered. "Which means..."

Sirius took Remus's book and turned some pages.

"You will have the greatest gift of life."

"Let me see that." Remus said as he took James's teacup from Sirius. "That's not a fish, that's a lightning bolt..." "That means that after happiness, you will suffer gravely."

"Okay, greatest gift of life or suffer gravely." James said with a laugh.

"Now mine!" Sirius said while looking at Remus.

"Uh...I see a...I have no idea."

"What?" Sirius asked disappointed.

"I'm sorry I can't discover anything in it!"

"Let me see."

James took the cup and looked. He turned it around in his hands and frowned.

"Well it could be a pony..."

Remus brought his head against James's and looked intently. "

"Yeah..."

Sirius quickly took Remus's book and rapidly read through it. Then his head turned red in an instant.

"What, what is it?" James asked.

"N..nothing, just something stupid." Sirius said with a high voice.

James took his own book and paged through it. When he found it he started to laugh so hard the whole class looked at their table. Remus took the book from him.

"True love will quickly find you."

Remus grinned while James tried to stop laughing, but failed. James picked up Remus's cup and looked.

"A bird."

Sirius paged again.

"Does it look like a phoenix or a crow?"

"Uhm...phoenix, it's got a long tail and long wings."

"That means that you already have found or will find true friendship Mooney."

"I already found that." Remus said with a slight blush while looking to Sirius and James.

"How are you three lads doing?"

The three of them looked up. Professor Trelawney looked at them with her big blue eyes. Apparently she was disturbed by the noise they had made earlier.

"Uhm pretty well actually." Remus said. "We've already read our cups and searched the description."

"Good." The professor said while taking their cups to look. "Oh my goodness!"

"What, what is it?" Sirius asked startled.

"Your tealeaves..."

"What about them?" Remus asked.

"They have the exact same shape!"

Sirius sighed, took their notes and ripped them apart.

"What kind of shape professor?" James asked.

"A snake."

The three boys looked at each other with raised eyebrows. At that moment a boy from Huffelpuff announced that it was time for lunch and everyone else started to clean their table and leave.

"Uh...and what does that mean?"

Professor Trelawney did not answer but walked to her desk.

Again the friends shared a look of confusion. They stood up and followed their professor.

"Professor, everything alright?" Sirius asked.

He lay a hand on her shoulder to stop her, but then she rapidly turned around, making the three boys jump.

"The chain of friendship has always been strong..."

Sirius's eyes grew big, Remus raised his eyebrows so far they disappeared in his hairline and James's mouth fell open. Professor Trelawney's voice was low and rough and her eyes stared right through them.

"But one link that always seemed thinner will slowly crack and eventually will cause the chain to break and fall apart."

The boys kept staring at her as she closed her eyes and then opened them again.

"Ah hello boys, did you have a question?"

They regained the ability to change their faces. Remus apologized while Sirius and James ran out of the class room already.

"What the bloody hell was that?" James asked while they walked down the stairs.

"She finally went mad." Sirius stated.

"I don't know, perhaps this was a real future telling."

"Mooney come on, Divination is just one big folly." James said. "All the professors are from the Trelawney family and none has ever made a real prediction for more than over two hundred years!"

"But if it was real, what would she mean?" Sirius asked.

"The chain of friendship has always been strong..." Remus remembered.

"But one link will crack." James chimed in.

"I'm too hungry for this paranormal stuff." Sirius complained. "I hope they've got some meatloaf..."

"Yuck, I prefer some roasted beef." James said.

"I'm in for the roasted beef." Remus said.

His two friends frowned. Normally meat would make Remus sick after a full moon.

"The werewolf didn't eat last night so I haven't got that disgusting taste of rotting meat in my mouth." The boy answered quickly.

They continued their journey downstairs.

"Hey Mooney, how is that Defence Against The Dark Arts assignment going?"

"Glad you asked Sirius, I'm having trouble with the number of words." "I've got way to many words, three parchments too much and you can't hand in more than four."

"I've got a great solution!"

"Really what?"

"Give them to me!"


	9. Chapter 9

"Hey guys!"

The three Marauders looked up from their plates to see the fourth standing in front of them.

"Wormtail?" James asked surprised.

"Yes, can I sit with you?"

Without waiting for an answer he squeezed himself next to Sirius and an fourth year.

"So...how are you doing?"

The other three looked at him with confused faces.

"Uhm...alright." Remus asked uncertain.

"That Defence Against The Dark Arts assignment was tough don't you think Padfoot?"

"Uhm I..."

"Of course you wouldn't know, I guess Mooney did everything for you again."

"Okay that's enough Peter, what do you want?" James asked stern.

The blond boy looked at him with a hurt face.

"Want, I don't want anything, just a nice lunch with my friends, we are friends still, aren't we?"

At that moment all the noise in the Great Hall stopped. The Marauders looked at the door. A group of seventh year Slytherin's came in, under whom Sirius's niece Bellatrix Le Strange.

"They certainly think they're everything, don't they?" James said after the group had sat down and conversations were picked up.

"Yeah well...I heard them talk this summer." Sirius whispered. "Her, my mother and my aunt."

"About what?" James asked eagerly.

"About some pretty dark stuff, apparently there's a dark wizard who's getting pretty famous."

"Do you know the name?" Remus asked.

"I can't remember...something with a V I believe... 't was a very stupid name."

"I have to go, Quiddich Practise." James said.

"Wow, one free afternoon in the entire week and you schedule Quiddich, you are a diehard captain." Sirius laughed.

"Don't be too happy, you're coming too remember?"

Sirius groaned. A few days ago he put a prank on some first year Slytherin's and James joined him in detention, on one condition. Sirius had to help with practise as ball catcher. Whenever a ball flew out of the stadium, he could go get them.

They said goodbye and left the Great Hall. Remus concentrated back on his sausages, trying to ignore Peter, who kept staring at him. Ten minutes later, the sausages were gone so he had no excuse to look down at this plate anymore.

"What?"

"I was wondering what you were going to do this afternoon?"

"Some reading in the common room I guess."

"Oh cause I need to get my Herbology done, but my Scringer won't grow enough to turn red, it's still purple."

"Sorry Peter, I'm no good in Herbology." "Frank Longbottom is, perhaps he'll help you."

Glad to have an excuse to leave, Remus stood up and quickly went up to the common room. He took his reading book from his bag and sighed. It was rare that he had time to read anything except schoolbooks. Unfortunately the third years had a free afternoon as well and they were practising their Charms in the common room. After been lift up in the air for the fifth time and hearing the third year apologise over and over, he decided he'd better go to the dormitory.

He just walked in the room when he suddenly felt a huge pain through his chest. He dropped himself on his knees and pressed his hand against his now blood covered uniform sweater. He tried to breath but noticed he couldn't. The wound in his neck had come back too.

**Later that afternoon**

"That was awful Prongs!" "I mean, your team kept throwing those balls right out of the field, I'm exhausted!"

James grinned. Before training started, he had told his team to throw out as many balls as they could to annoy Sirius.

They walked up the stairs to their dormitory and Sirius opened the door while still complaining about their team. They both walked in and stopped dead end. Their friend was lying on the floor, covered and surrounded by blood and pale as a ghost. Sirius cursed while they ran to him and fell on their knees. Remus was staring at the ceiling with dry eyes.

"Wha...what...how..." James muttered.

Shaking heavily, they took their wands and started to cast every healing charm they could.

"This isn't working!" James panicked. "Why isn't it working?"

Remus's eyes were turning.

"Easy Mooney we can do this...stay with us." Sirius muttered.

"We have to get someone, Mcgonagall or even Dumbledore..."

"No...we can do this..."

"NO SIRIUS WE CAN NOT DO THIS!"

Sirius looked up to see a crying James and now he felt warm tears falling off his cheeks as well. Footsteps were heard and a few seconds later, professor Mcgonagall stood in the door.

"What is all this noi...oh my goodness!"

She hurried to the body and kneeled down at the same spot James first was.

"Potter, get madame Pomfrey here."

James nodded and ran down the stairs. Mcgonagall took her wand.

"Enervatio."

Remus's eyes fluttered and became lively. He looked around in shock and started to panic.

"Calm down mister Lupin, help is on the way."

Sirius didn't say anything but took Remus's hand and squeezed in it. Seconds later, madame Pomfrey came in, followed by James. Sirius stood up to let madame Pomfrey kneel down and stood next to James. After a few very rude curses by madame Pomfrey, she waved with her wand. A floating stretcher appeared on which she took Remus to the hospital wing. Professor Mcgonagall shot them a look before they followed.


	10. Chapter 10

Sirius walked to the end of the corridor, turned around and walked to the other end, meeting James in the middle. They were doing this for an hour and a half, waiting for the door of the hospital wing to open and to hear how their friend was doing.

"Hey Padfoot?"

Sirius gasped. James's voice was so fragile, so weak.

"Yes, Prongs?"

His voice was the same.

"I...I'm sorry...for screaming at you."

Sirius let out a nervous laugh.

"No, I'm glad you did, I was acting like an idiot."

"Guess we both lost our senses." James said with a twisted smile.

At that moment, the door opened and both boys ran to madame Pomfrey. She looked exhausted.

"How is he?" They both asked.

"He's awake but weak."

"Can we see him?" Again they said together.

Madame Pomfrey smiled.

"If you'll be quiet, then yes."

She walked back in, followed by the two boys. Remus was in the last bed. He was still awfully pale but the boys were relieved to see his eyes were open.

"Hey there." Sirius said as talking to a toddler.

"Hey." Came a hoarse answer.

James and Sirius took each a chair and sat next to the bed.

"What...what happened?" James almost whispered.

"Nothing really, I walked up to the dormitory to read a book and when I walked in..."

For a moment Remus thought back about the panic, the pain and the fact that he couldn't breathe.

"The same thing as in the Quiddich stadium?" Sirius asked.

He got a nod as answer.

"O MY GOD WHERE IS HE?"

James and Sirius almost fell over and Remus spilled the water he was about to drink on his shirt. Peter ran towards them.

"Remus, are you okay?" "I just heard from Mcgonagall on the corridor."

"I'm fine now Peter but thanks."

"Oh...okay great." Peter said while gasping for air.

"I told you to be quiet!" Madame Pomfrey said mad while she marched towards the boys. "I want you all out of here within one minute."

Sirius and James cast Peter a dark look, said goodbye to Remus and walked outside. They wanted to go straight to the library to search through more books when professor Mcgonagall stopped them.

"Professor Dumbledore wants to see you." She said.

The two boys looked worried at each other while they followed her. After walking through several corridors, they finally reached the statue of the phoenix.

"He is waiting for you." Professor Mcgonagall said without any expression on her face.

James and Sirius stood on the stairs.

"Liquids Wands!"

Sirius quickly searched balance at the wall.

"What do you think he wants?" He whispered.

"No idea..."

The stair stopped moving and now they were in front of the big wooden door. James knocked, shot Sirius a nervous look and walked in.

"Uh professor Dumbledore, you wanted to see us?"

He cursed his shaking voice.

"Yes mister Potter."

Professor Dumbledore turned away from the window he was looking through and sat down in his chair.

"Please sit."

The boys quickly did so.

"How is mister Lupin?"

"Fine sir, a bit weak, but other than that he's doing good." Sirius said in record time.

Dumbledore smiled.

"There's no need to be nervous or frightened." "I just have some questions that's all."

James didn't see that as a reason to not be nervous. Questions were just the things they didn't need.

"See, madame Pomfrey mentioned me that mister Lupin had visited the hospital wing twice in two weeks." "Not that unusual but what is unusual was that his injuries were the same." "Exactly the same."

He looked at Sirius and James over his half moon glasses.

"Any idea how that could happen?"

Slowly the boys shake their heads, carefully to not let any hesitation come through.

"I have an idea." Dumbledore went on. "Wounds that come back all the sudden can come forth from a fight...a fight between two werewolves."

His light blue eyes went over the faces from the Gryffindors. But they showed no sign.

"Werewolves, sir?" Sirius asked.

"Are you suggesting that our friend is a monster?" James asked stern.

"I am merely giving one of a few options mister Potter." Dumbledore said, not bothered at all by the boys raise of voice. "If you have something, a problem or something you'd like me to know, I suggest you say it now, for Remus's sake."

James and Sirius remained silent, looking in front of them.

"Very well...you can go."

The two stood up and walked to the door.

"But remember..."

They stopped and turned around.

"...that help will always be giving at Hogwarts for those who need it and ask for it."

"Yes sir."

"Thanks professor."


	11. Chapter 11

It was Christmas vacation. James stretched on his bed, looking around in his room. He hadn't been home for almost four months but it felt as if he'd never left. He hoisted himself into a sitting position and took the four Christmas cards from his nightstand.

The first one was from Peter, who had written on every single spot of the card. A whole story about good health in the new year and a good Christmas with his family. This was odd, normally the blond boy would only scratch a _merry Christmas and a happy New Year_. The second one was Lily's, who had made little hearts of the dots on the i and j's. Three little x's were written in the corner. James smiled. It had been a good idea to hide their relationship from their friends for a while. The third one was Remus's. It was the usual story. _Have a Merry Christmas with your family and an even better new year. _Last was Sirius's. James was one of the few who could actually read that handwriting. Remus had often offered the boy to help him with his writing, but Sirius always replied that it didn't matter if the teachers could read his answers or not because it wouldn't help his grades anyway. _Merry Christmas Prongs and don't blow up the house with New Year's firework!_ James laughed, Sirius never did anything with New Year and was very fascinated by his friends' stories about the fireworks in their first year.

He put the cards carefully back on the nightstand and got dressed. Tonight was Christmas Eve. His shirt was a bit itchy, but his grandma had made it for him specially for Christmas, so he didn't really mind. Suddenly his mom called.

"James, there's a boy here who says he's a friend of yours!"

He frowned. It was eight in the morning and he didn't have many friends left in his home village. James quickly walked down stairs, into the living room.

"Sirius?"

"Hey James."

"Did you invite him for the holidays, James?" His mother asked.

Sirius shot his friend a look.

"Uh yeah I did, didn't I tell you mom?" "Must have forgotten, come on Sirius I'll show you my room."

Sirius thanked Mrs. Potter and followed James upstairs.

"What happened?" James asked when he closed the door of his room.

"I couldn't stay there any longer."

"We've been home for only two days..."

"I heard them talk again."

James detected a light shiver in his friend's voice. They sat down, Sirius on the bed and James on his chair.

"About that dark wizard." Sirius went on. "Apparently he's in England, recruiting wizards and witches to fight for him."

"Fight for him?"

Sirius nodded with a dark look.

"He wants to take over the control of everything." "Purebloods only, Muggles and half-blood's have to make room..."

James could imagine what "make room" had to mean.

"And your family?"

Sirius laughed nervously.

"Mom and dad thought it was a good idea, but Bellatrix wants to join as soon as possible." "They even said something about Narcissa and her boyfriend that Malfoy guy about joining as well..."

Sirius put his head in his hands and sighed. James needed some time to get everything in his head.

"B...but even if that wizard becomes strong...I mean...we've got Dumbledore...right?" "And the ministry."

"I know."

Suddenly Sirius lost it. Tears ran down his cheeks as he grabbed his hair with his hands.

"I can't go back James, I can't!" "They're...they're...I don't know where to go now..."

James always knew Sirius's family placed their blood line high and Sirius had scowled about his mother many times, but he never thought it was so important that they would support a wizard who wanted to get rid of every Muggle and half-blood.

"Don't be so stupid!" "Did you really think I'd let you go back?"

Sirius looked up with red eyes.

"And about where to go, I think you've already found your new home." James said with a smirk.

"Wha...what?" "But what about your parents, I've never seen them before except on the platform and now you want to go downstairs and ask them if I can move in?"

James shrugged his shoulders.

"Don't think they'll mind." "My nephew Nathan always stayed over during summer, but he's got his own place now with his girlfriend Mary." "But I won't ask them now, I'll send them a letter when we're at Hogwarts."

Sirius nodded and opened his mouth.

"Apologies accepted, though they aren't necessary." James quickly added.

"Hey you've got my card." Sirius said while he took all cards from James's night stand. "Mooney and Worm tail's too and..."

James saw how Sirius was about to open Lily's. He quickly jumped on his bed on top of Sirius and snatched the cards out of his hands.

"Aaauw what the hell?" Sirius said mad while rubbing over his knees.

"Uhm...how about breakfast?"


	12. Chapter 12

Whispers and hisses echoed through the many corridors of Hogwarts, especially around the dungeons. Apparently most pure blood students knew about the upcoming dark wizard and were informing their none pure blood friends.

"I think people are just making a fuss about it." One fourth year girl announced on the Gryffindor table during lunch.

She was immediately silenced by her classmates. Sirius suddenly pinched his potatoes with a lot more power and most of it ended in Remus's soup.

"Thank you very much." Remus said while removing the soup with his wand and bended over to pour some new.

"Sorry..." Sirius muttered.

"It's okay." Remus said with a small smile.

Sirius had told Remus everything that happened during their vacation the evening they had come back to Hogwarts.

At that moment hundreds of owls flew into the Great Hall.

"That's weird, I've never seen an owl after breakfast, let stand so many." James said.

All the owls carried _The Daily Prophet_ and tried to be one of the first to deliver the paper. Unfortunately this came with a gigantic chaos and mess. After about fifteen minutes, the last owl flew through the open window. A lot of gasps and even some yells filled the hall. James managed to borrow one from Lily, though he said he'd snatched it from a fifth years. Sirius, who sat on the other side of the table quickly jumped over the food, next to Remus. All three of them bend over the paper.

_Muggle Family killed in London.  
>Last night, a little after midnight five Muggles were found dead in their home. The Muggle police reported it as a gas leak, however employees of the Ministry who were undercover with the Muggle police stated it as murder performed with magic, also known as the Kedavra curse. The rumour that this is related to the upcoming of a dark wizard is not confirmed by the Ministry.<em>

"Of course they don't want to confirm that!" Remus said.

Sirius and James shot him the all too well known "and why is that?" look.

"They want to prevent a mass panic attack." He said as if he was explaining that one plus one is two. "By hushing all news about that dark wizard, the Ministry hopes it'll pass."

"Pass, like the news that some important bloke at St. Holisto's wanted to use Gnome blood against skin deceases?" "We never heard of him again after that interview two years ago." James said.

"That's because they put him in the lunatic department in his own hospital." Sirius said.

"I think that if the people don't hear about the dark wizard, they'll believe that there isn't one."Remus said.

Sirius sighed and put his head on his arms.

"What's our next lesson after lunch?"

"Potions." Remus answered.

He groaned.

"Hey what's Wormtail doing there?" James asked looking at the corner of the hall.

Peter was obviously trying to not been seen. He was standing against the wall with his back a little bend whispering to someone. James stood up halfway to get a better view. Then he saw the light blond somewhat greasy hair that could only belong to one person.

"He's talking to that Malfoy boy!"

"Lucius Malfoy, why would Peter want to talk to him?" Remus asked concerned.

Sirius rose his head so quickly, James almost lost balance and fell back on the bench. A frown covered the pretty boy's face.

"What, what are you thinking about?" James asked.

"I just thought...no that's impossible."

"What?" Remus and James asked as one.

"No forget it it's stupid."

They finished their lunch and slowly walked to the dungeons. Professor Slughorn was already there. He explained how the Draft of the Living Death was made and its horrible effect. Soon everyone was standing in front of a boiling cauldron.

"Your potions should be orange about now." Professor Slughorn said while he walked around.

"Okay I give up!" Sirius said while he threw his spoon in his cauldron.

Remus didn't respond but kept stirring with a growing frown. His potion was brownish. James's potion was perfectly bright orange and with a little too big grin he took a look at Sirius's potion.

"You forgot to add the salamander skins..." James said while throwing in four of them.

The purple, thick substance slowly became orange.

"Merlin's beard!" "Mister Snape, this potion is brilliant!"

Everyone looked in front of the classroom. Severus Snape stood next to his cauldron while Slughorn shake his hand.

"You are my first student who managed to get the Draft of the Living Death perfect!"

"But Professor, I thought that the potion has to be orange, Snape's is pink." A girl from Gryffindor said.

"Yes, yes, students of Hogwarts have to make a mild version of this potion to graduate, but the actual version of the potion is pink." "Fifty points for Slytherin!"

James's grin had made place for a face of disgust. Suddenly there was a little explosion and Remus's potion was on fire.

"James, any chance you can fix mine too?"


	13. Chapter 13

_Cleng!_

"Mister Black, for god sake!" Professor Mcgonagall hissed.

"Sorry Professor."

This was the fourth time he had accidently pushed over an iron instrument he was supposed to clean for his detention. Mcgonagall sighed.

"You're clearly somewhere else with your mind." "You can go, but don't forget your homework anymore!"

Sirius grinned. She always said that and it never helped. He said goodbye and walked onto the corridor of the first floor. James had said he'd come to Sirius, hidden underneath the Cloak of course, to support him, or laugh at him more likely, but now Sirius was released from his detention forty-five minutes early, that wasn't necessary anymore. He was almost at the door that led to the Grand Stairs when he heard a voice.

"Wormtail?" He called out, looking around him.

He heard another voice, one he recognised as well, but wasn't as pleased to hear. Sirius quickly hid behind a giant bookcase. Four people entered the corridor.

"Make sure you don't blow this!" Bellatrix Black said.

"He won't Bella, he's not _that_ stupid." Lucius Malfoy snickered. "He knows that this is probably our only chance to prove us worthy in the eyes of the Dark Lord."

"As long as our dear nephew doesn't find out anything..." Narcissa Black said, sounding concerned. "I already told you Bella, I'm sure he heard us talk back at home."

"I hope he does." Bellatrix said. "That way I've got an excuse to get rid of him."

"I...I...I'll make sure Sirius and the others don't find out." Peter said trembling.

"Who would have thought a Gryffindor could be worthy to us?" Narcissa said while looking at the blond boy.

"How is Greyback doing?" Lucius asked. "Hope he's not too uncomfortable in the Dark Forrest?"

"Last time I checked he was complaining about being bored." Narcissa said. "Fortunately he's got some distraction during the Full Moon."

The three Slytherin's laughed and Sirius could even detect a smile on Peters face. His blood boiled and Sirius felt his head turning red.

"It is essential that he sees what we're trying to do for the Dark Lord." Lucius continued. "He is the head of the werewolf clan that serves the Dark Lord."

The group walked pass the bookcase Sirius was hiding behind and disappeared through the door to the Grand Stairs. Trembling of pure anger, Sirius walked to Grand Stairs as well.

_Peter...Peter, how could he, I mean...Peter!_

Suddenly he heard something behind him. James had dropped his Invisibility Cloak and stared shocked at Sirius.


	14. Chapter 14

They ran and ran. Several teachers had yelled after them for being outside at this time of the evening, but they didn't pay attention. Finally they had reached the portrait.

"Banana muffin..." James sighed exhausted.

The fat lady, not at all surprised to see them at this hour, let them in and they sprinted into the Gryffindor common room. Sirius ran upstairs to their dorm, while James scanned the common room. That wasn't so hard, there were four second year girls sitting in a corner and there in front of the fire sat Remus. James first ran to the stairs.

"SIRIUS HE'S HERE!"

The second years jumped up and fled to their dorm and Remus looked over his shoulder. Sirius ran/fell down stairs. They sprinted towards Remus.

"Remus, terrible...Peter, terrible..." Sirius said while gasping for air.

"What's wrong with Peter?" Remus asked worried.

He was halfway up the couch but James pushed him back down. Both shake their heads but needed a second to catch breath.

"Peter is a traitor." James said.

"What?"

"He's friends with Slytherins." Sirius said.

"They want to join that dark wizard." James added.

"And Peter is helping them with a special mission."

"And that's not the worst, that werewolf that's attacking you is a follower of the dark wizard...he lives in the Dark Forest."

"Apparently he has to see if the Slytherins are worthy for the dark wizard."

Remus stared in front of him with a pale face and open mouth.

"How...?"

"We ran into them after my detention." Sirius said.

Suddenly the portrait went open and Peter came in. James who was closest to the couch jumped on it and grabbed a book, holding it in front of him. Sirius realized he should be still in detention and dove behind it, landing hard on the ground.

"Hey guys, Padfoot still in detention?"

"Yeah, Mcgonagall's a tough one." James said.

"What are you doing?"

"Homework." Remus and James said together.

"For what?"

"Charms."

"When is it due?"

"Friday."

"Oooh that gives me five days, I'll do it some other time, I'm going to bed, night."

Sirius sat on his knees, seeing Peter's shoes disappear on the stairs.

"Greasy git."

"I can't believe it, I mean Peter." Remus muttered.

He stood up and walked to the portrait.

"What are you doing?" James asked.

"Going to Dumbledore's office of course."

Remus turned around.

"We have to tell him this."

"But then we have to tell him about your problem." James said.

"Well, I never thought I would leave Hogwarts without Dumbledore finding out about me, I'm pretty glad we've managed to keep it a secret for five and a half years."

"Someone has to stay in case the traitor comes downstairs." Sirius said with a dark look at the stairs. "I'll do that."

James and Remus nodded and went through the portrait.

"You'll get detention again!" The fat lady yelled after them. "You'll go straight to the Headmaster!"

"That's exactly where we're going but thank you!" James yelled back.


	15. Chapter 15

Slightly panting they stood in front of the large wooden door that led to the Headmasters office. Thank god James was sent to Dumbledore's office twice this week so he knew this week's password. It was late at night, but somehow Remus knew Dumbledore wouldn't be asleep. With a nervous look James knocked on the door.

"Come in."

The two boys slowly walked in. Professor Dumbledore was indeed sitting behind his desk looking through some papers.

"Ah mister Potter, mister Lupin, what can I do for you at this hour?"

They looked at each other and James nodded.

"W...we overheard something...kinda important..."

"And what would that be?" Dumbledore asked while gesturing towards two chairs.

Remus and James sat down.

"Well I was at the first floor waiting for Sirius to come back from his detention." James said waiting to see if professor Dumbledore would get mad, but the old man just nodded.

"Then I saw Peter along with some Slytherin's." "They were talking about a special mission for a dark lord."

Remus noticed that Dumbledore's eyes suddenly lit up, but he remained silence.

"Apparently Peter helped them achieve something." "And there's a servant of that dark lord in the Dark Forrest..."

James stopped and shot a look at Remus. This was not unnoticed by their Headmaster.

"And you already had an encounter with this servant."

The two boys stared shocked at Dumbledore, James's mouth stood open.

"H...how?"

Dumbledore smiled.

"I am a very talented mind reader mister Potter." "Not that that is necessary to read the minds of two teenagers."

His eyes suddenly fell on Remus's face.

"Yes Remus, I've known your secret from the second you walked into Hogwarts for the first time."

Remus's eyes went big and his pale face went even paler.

"Why didn't you tell professor?" "Why didn't you expel me?"

Dumbledore smiled again.

"I can't deny that I was worried as the first full moon came, but you my boy have found the perfect solution." "I'm very proud of you." "Now why didn't I tell anyone." "Because I waited until you would tell me Remus." "When the second year had passed I understood that you would never tell me as long things would go right." "I didn't expel you because, and listen very close, you are not less than your classmates just because you were bitten when you were little and there is no possible reason why you should be expelled."

Remus nodded and looked at his feet.

"And for now, I want you two to get back to your dorm and leave this to me and the other professors." "Do not speak to anyone about this and give my warning to mister Black as well."

"Yes professor."

The two walked to the door and James turned around.

"Sir?"

"Yes mister Potter?"

"That dark lord, is he really _that _dangerous?"

"Not yet, mister Potter, not yet."

James nodded and he and Remus closed the door.


	16. Chapter 16

Sirius was sitting in a chair in front of the stairs. His face said sleep but his eyes said guarding. He bolted up when his friends came in.

"And?"

"Dumbledore says he'll take care of it." James said while he fell onto the couch.

Remus avoided his friends eyes and picked up his book.

"And...he knows 'bout Moony's problem." James added.

"WHAT?"

"I'm not expelled and I guess things are fine." Remus growled.

Suddenly there were footsteps. A small chubby boy with blonde hair and orange pyjama's came down the stairs.

"I heard screaming!" Peter squeaked.

The three boys stared at him, shocked and somewhat scared for some reason.

"Uh...Padfoot saw a spider." James slowly said.

"A what?"

"A gigantic tarantula." Sirius said looking mad at James. "But it's gone now."

Peter nodded sleep drunk. There were more angry yells from upstairs.

"I'm going back to *yawn* bed guys..."

"Okay goodnight Wormtail." Sirius said while looking how Peter disappeared back up.

"I just can't _believe_ that Peter, _our_ Peter can do something like this." Remus mumbled.

"I know."

"How did Dumbledore know about the werewolf thing?" Sirius asked.

"He's a mind reader." Remus said.

The three of them walked upstairs, following Peter's footsteps. The door of the girls dorm opened and a red haired girl stared at their backs.

"Good morning." Lily Evans said as she sat down next to Sirius.

"Why so cheerful Evans?" Sirius asked after swallowing his cereal.

James and Remus stopped eating and stared at the girl.

"Oh nothing, I'm just happy." She said with a smile from ear to ear. "Satisfied actually."

"And why would that be Lily?" James asked carefully looking at his friends.

He wasn't ready to tell them about Lily and him.

"You know when you're suspecting something for a very long time and all the sudden you find out that you were right." "That sort of satisfaction." Lily said while playing with her hair.

The boys had lost their interest and had restarted their breakfast, but Lily wasn't giving up.

"It was something big you know...what I found out."

"Wha...you ound ou the Slytherin are actually gomes?" Sirius asked with half his cereal falling out his mouth.

Lily took a face of disgust but Remus and James laughed.

"No, more a _big_ and _furry _something."

The reactions were horrible. Sirius nearly choked in his cereals, Remus spit his pumpkin juice over a third years boy and James jumped up, throwing the plate with raw eggs, which he just had hold, over his head into the table of Ravenclaw, covering at least eight of them in raw eggs.

"You know?" James asked, not paying attention at the screams and cursing behind him.

"I had my suspicions since our third year and last night you confirmed it." Lily said looking at Sirius.

"What?" The boy said with a creepy high voice. "I never told you!"

"Not directly no..." "I heard you talk last night."

"DOES EVERBODY KNOW ABOUT THE BLOODY THING?"

Remus stood up, grabbed his bag and marched out of the Great Hall.

"Good job Evans." Sirius growled as he stood up and followed his friend.

James didn't say anything but followed after quickly stuffing a pancake in his mouth.

They found Remus in the Transfiguration classroom. He was the first one there, with exception of Mcgonagall of course.

"Well well well." She said while James sat next to Remus and Sirius sat in front of them. "This must come into _Hogwarts a History_!"

The boys didn't respond. Luckily the rest of the class came in to take her attention of them. Lily to their surprise sat next to Sirius. James felt a slight jealous but then he reminded himself that they were already seeing each other. Peter came in alongside Lucius Malfoy. Behind them was Narcissa Black. They sat in the back of the class.

"He sure isn't trying to keep us as friends..." James growled. "Or at least pretending too..."

"Where's Bellatrix?" Sirius whispered.

Unfortunately professor Mcgonagall started the lesson at that moment. Today's task was to change each other's hair colour with only using eye contact.

"Make sure you keep your emotions under control ." She stated. "A too strong emotion can influence the result."

James started and looked intensely to Remus. His head turned red but nothing happened. In front of him Sirius nearly squeezed his eyes out.

"Stop it Black, you'll hurt yourself." Lily laughed.

"No...it's working." Sirius slowly said. "You're hair is orange now..."

Lily took a stroke of her hair and looked. "Nope still red."

Lily stared into Sirius's and suddenly his hair was as red as hers.

So far only a couple of Ravenclaw had managed to change their hair next to Lily. James's head had reached the redness of his Quidditch outfit. Remus was leaning with his cheek on his arm and looked straight in front of him anger running through his eyes.

"Come on Moony, you try." James said pleading.

Remus shot him a glare and turned towards his friend. James felt quiet intimidated by the angry look of Remus . Suddenly the entire class was laughing and pointing at him.

"What did you do?" James asked when Remus's eyes widened.

Lily, tears running down her cheeks from laughing, gave him her mirror.

"AAAAH what did you do?"

James's hair was pink, very deep pink.


	17. Chapter 17

Professor Mcgonagall had fixed James's hair with one movement of her wand, but that didn't mean James wasn't laughed at when the four of them walked through the corridors. At least Remus wasn't mad anymore.

"I'm sorry Prongs, I didn't mean to..."

"I know Moony, you were mad, I understand."James said with a grumpy face.

They walked through a very crowdie corridor towards Divination. Lily said goodbye and went off the stairs towards Care of Magical Creatures, while the boys climbed up the stairs. They came in another very crowded corridor, but Sirius just pushed everyone aside.

"Did you guys make that paper?" He yelled over the noise of all the other students.

"Yeah just scratched down some nonsense this morning." James's reply came.

"What about you Moony?"

There was no response. James and Sirius turned around. Remus was standing a few meters away from them, hands on his throat and blood on his shirt. They sprinted towards their friend who was slowly falling on his knees. Meanwhile James took the Invisibility Cloak out of his bag and threw it over the three of them. No one would have to see this.

"Remus, you okay?" Sirius panted.

The boy's face was turning white and the blood was running through his fingers.

"Come on we're taking you to the hospital wing..." James said while he and Sirius hoisted Remus up very careful to not let the cloak slip off them.

It was a hell of a ride to get all the way back to the fourth floor. They had to make sure Remus, who had passed out halfway the stairs, wouldn't fall between their grasp, that the Cloak wouldn't fall off and that they wouldn't bump in to someone. They threw off the Cloak when they had reached the door to the hospital wing and stumbled in.

"My lord!" Madame Pomfrey screamed when she saw Remus.

Sirius and James lay him down on the bed and were already thinking of an excuse when Madame Pomfrey surprised them.

"I knew this was going to be bad when Dumbledore told me... I already had my suspicions of course but...oooh dear boy." She muttered while she poured some thick green pasta on the wounds.

"Y...you know?" Sirius asked.

"Yes and I must say it was very dangerous to keep it a secret for so long." Madame Pomfrey said stern looking at Sirius and James.

They didn't respond, they knew she could never understand Remus's fear of being expelled.

"He'll be able to leave in a few hours..."She said as a sign for the other two boys to leave.

Instead of going back to Divination, James and Sirius sneaked into a broom closet. Sirius sat down on a bucket while James stood against the door.

"We have to do something Padfoot...this can't go on like this..."James whispered.

"I thought you'd said Dumbledore would take care..."

"Well apparently not!"

Sirius looked up from the ground, into James's fiercely shining brown eyes.

"What do you suggest?"

"Well...it all started when that other werewolf came to Hogwarts." "I guess we'll have to get rid of him."

"You're mad!"

"What, you don't want to help Remus?"

"Oh no I'm with you one hundred percent mate, I just pointed out the face that you're mad." Sirius said with a grin. "But _how _can we get rid of a adult werewolf/ wizard?" "We're sixth years James."

James stared in front of him. He couldn't answer that question and that frustrated him.

"Simple." He then said slowly. "We get under the Cloak, go to the forest and stun him before he knows what hits him."

Sirius raised his eyebrows. "That's too dangerous Prongs, even if we would be fully educated wizards."

"Padfoot come on!" "This is not the moment to begin having sense!"

James ran his hand through his hair out of frustration.

"Okay if you won't come I'll go alone."

James opened the door and walked out of the closet.

"Oh Prongs stop acting so childish!"

Sirius ran after his friend. James stood at the corner of the corridor.

"You're a stu..."

"Ssshhh!" James sissed.

There were voices coming out of a empty classroom.

"...see that face?" A woman's voice laughed.

Unmistakeable Bellatrix Black.

"I wonder how long it will take until the little werewolf will cave." The voice of Lucius Malfoy said.

"B...but...wh...what about the...the task?"

James and Sirius looked at each other. That was Peter, for sure.

"The boy is right Malfoy." Bellatrix said.

"Everything is going according plan." "Narcissa is at the forest, giving Greyback the information we have required until now."

"Hey guys, I heard some fourth years saying they saw Remus on the corridor covered with blood and..."

"Sssshhhh!"

Lily had come up to them. James took her hand and silently took her back into the broom closet.

"James, wha..."

"Listen Lily, there is another werewolf in the forbidden forest, he's a helper of that dark wizard everyone's talking about." James said in record time. "Lucius Malfoy, Narcissa and Bellatrix Black are trying to accomplish something for that dark wizard here at school and that werewolf is here to see if their doing it right..."

He took some time to breath. Lily looked at him with open mouth.

"How do you know this?" She asked with a trembling voice.

"That werewolf has bitten Remus twice and ever since the wounds return randomly..."

"So it is true that Remus was covered in blood..."

"Yes we took him to the hospital wing, but that's not the worst."

Lily saw a slight trembling going over James's body even some glisters in his eyes. She gently stroked his arms.

"What is it?"

"P...P...Peter..."

Lily threw her hands on her mouth.

"Is he bitten?"

James shake his head. The tears were really running down his cheeks now.

"He's one of them."


	18. Chapter 18

The door of the broom closet opened and a white faced Sirius walked in.

"Are they gone?" James asked quickly whipping away his tears.

Sirius just nodded and sat on a bucket, shaking heavily.

"What did you hear?" Lily asked worried.

"They're going to...going to..."

"Going to what?" James asked.

"They're going to do it tonight."

Lily and James looked at each other.

"Do what?"

"I don't know what!" Sirius shot back at his friend. "Something, something bad." "We have to act tonight is what Malfoy said."

"That's it then, we're gonna follow them and stop them tonight." James said as if one plus one is two.

"Are you crazy?" Lily asked.

"Lily if we don't stop them Remus may possibly die and who knows what they'll do to Hogwarts." James said.

"Okay but I'm going too."

"No you're not."

"Yes I am."

At that moment the door of the broom closet opened and Filch was staring at them.

"Am I disturbing your tea party?" He said mad. "Get out of here, to your dormitory!"

Without saying a word the three sixth years quickly walked out of the corridor. James took the Marauders Map out of his pocket and saw Filch walking to the floor above them and...

"Remus is making his way to the common room."

"Should we tell him?" Sirius asked.

"He'll probably try to stop us." Lily said.

James was about to protest about the "us".

"Let it go Prongs." Sirius grinned.

They quickly made their way to the common room where they found Remus sitting at the fireplace staring into the orange flames. The rest of the Gryffindors were still at class.

"What are you doing here, you should be at Herbology by now."

Lily decided to let the friends alone and went to the girls dormitory.

"You're a lot more important than some stinking plant Moony." Sirius said while he and James sat on each side of Remus.

They took a long scan of Remus.

"Madame Pomfrey fixed me up." Remus said with an unusual high voice.

James noticed Remus fumbling with his cloak.

"What happened?"

Remus's eyes quickly shot towards James, than back to the ground.

"She...she...it took a lot longer...to fix it than...usual." "She was worried she wouldn't be able too...the next time."

James and Sirius looked at each other over their friends back. They had made a decision.

"She won't have to." Sirius said.

"What?"

"We're going to the Forbidden Forrest tonight." James said in one breath.

"WHAT!"

"Keep it down will you, it's kinda supposed to be a secret." Sirius said.

"You can't go to the forest tonight, are you mad?"

"It took you a long time to figure that out Moony but we're doing it for you." James pleaded.

"Yeah that other werewolf will kill you if we don't stop him!"

Suddenly the portrait opened and Peter stepped in. He was obviously shocked by seeing his friends.

"H...hey guys, why aren't you in Herbology?" He asked very slowly.

"We already re-planted our Glimps so we didn't have to come today." Remus answered with a dark tone. "Why aren't you in Herbology Peter, you haven't even got the beans out of yours."

"Uh yeah well...I didn't feel too well."

"Pity." James said.

"I'd better go to bed, wouldn't want to infect one of you."

They watched how their former friend walked up the stairs. Sirius and James let out a multiple curses when Lily walked down the stairs. She looked a bit scared to Remus, who smiled at her.

"I am so sorry Remus that I found out about you..."

"Nah it's alright, if any I would want you to find out."

With that said he walked to the portrait.

"What are you going to do?" Sirius asked.

"To the library, if we are going to fight an army of dark wizards tonight, I'd better be prepared."


	19. Chapter 19

Fumbling fingers, nervous looks. Padfoot, Moony and Prongs sat next to each other in the couch in front of the fire, along with Lily. Waiting for the remaining Gryffindors to go to bed. They had managed to get the bigger half of their house to bed early. James had screamed to his Quiddich team to get sleep early cause they would have to face Huffelpuff in a match two weeks from now and Lily had caused almost all the girls to have a nervous breakdown by telling how hard the exams would be.

After sitting that way for half an hour the last three boys went to bed. Now it was just them and Peter who was reading his Astronomy book in a corner of the room. The small chubby boy had cast them several nervous looks. It was almost one o'clock in the morning when Peter suddenly jumped up.

"Oh no!" "I forgot my Potions book in the dungeons!"

It was the most poorly acting they had ever heard.

"Then you should go get it Peter, the test about the Verita serum is in two days." Lily acted concerned.

"Yes, yes I should."

"Okay here we go..." James said after the portrait had closed behind Peter.

Sirius took the Marauders Map out of his pocket, James stood up and revealed the Invisibility Cloak which he had sat on the entire time. Lily and Remus had their wands in hand. They had to take very small steps in order to stay beneath the cloak. Slowly they start their journey.

"Filch is in the Divination corridor." Sirius whispered. "Mcgonagall is in her office on the first floor."

"What about Peter?" James asked.

"He's...already with the Slytherin's!"

James immediately fastened.

"Shouldn't we warn anyone?" Remus asked nervous.

"We have no time left, besides no one would believe us except Dumbledore, but that's too far away!" Sirius hissed.

They had reached the front door.

"They are in the forest I think, they're not on the map."

The four Gryffindors carefully crossed the dark grounds. There was a tense moment when Sirius fell flat on the ground when he tripped over a stone and almost took the Cloak off them.

"Black what the hell are you doing?" Lily hissed.

"It's that stone's fault!" Sirius hissed back.

"Hurry up!" James came in between.

They regained their slow journey to the forest. Without sunlight, the Dark Forest looked like a giant black wall. James and Sirius took out their wands as well. Four small lights appeared underneath the Invisibility Cloak. Dead twigs and leaves crushed under their weight.

"Where could they be?" Lily whispered.

"Probably near that open field where we found Moony the first time." James said.

"That's to the left I think..." Sirius whispered.

As slow as a snail they turned left and now they could hear voices. They recognised four of them but there was an unfamiliar one. It was very low, almost like a growl.

"That must be Greyback's." Remus whispered.

"...sure that he will come?" The voice of Bellatrix Black sounded.

"The Dark Lord will come." Greyback said impatiently.

"Forgive her, she is so excited to finally meet the Dark Lord, we all are, after all our efforts to please him." Lucius Malfoy said.

The four invisible friends looked at each other. The dark wizard was coming to Hogwarts.


	20. Chapter 20

"O my god, what do we do now?" Lily whispered in shock.

"I say we fight, defeat them first and then take the dark wizard out." Sirius whispered as well.

"Are you mad?" Remus hissed.

In their argument they hadn't noticed the Slytherin's, Peter and Greyback to gone silent.

"What is it?" Bellatrix asked, all the students looking nervously to the adult.

"I smell something..."

The Gryffindors held their breath as Greyback's eyes went their way. It was a tense moment when the face of Lucius Malfoy appeared, only centimetres away from them.

"There's nothing else here."

"I smell...a Mudblood..."

Three pair of eyes looked at Lily.

"And another werewolf."

Now Remus was looked at.

"We need to leave." James whispered.

For the first time there was a sense of fear in his voice. Very slowly, the four backed off into the dark bushes.

"Pettigrew, where are your sneaky little friends?" Lucius asked.

"I...I left them...in the Gryffindor common room." Peter stuttered.

"You don't think they followed us?" Narcissa asked a bit shaky. "We can't afford any disturbance when the Dark Lord comes."

Meanwhile Greyback had left them and was now coming towards the bushes in which the Gryffindors were hiding. They could hear him sniff loudly.

"I know you're here...I can smell the two of you."

Suddenly Remus looked at Sirius and James.

"Oh no you don't." The two hissed in choir.

"You go get Dumbledore."

And with that last sentence Remus ducked underneath the Cloak and ran for dear life.

"Here I am you ugly troll!"

An angry growl and three surprised screams followed. Greyback fell on all limbs and followed Remus further into the Dark Forest, seconds later followed by the Slytherin's. Sirius immediately left the Cloak as well, following the group.

"What...what the..." Lily stuttered completely shocked by what just happened.

"Lily keep under the Cloak and go get Dumbledore." James ordered.

Without waiting for a response he also left. He followed the noise but didn't come far. All the sudden he ran into someone he didn't expect to.

"James?"

"Peter!"

Without realizing he had raised his wand to Peters chest. Quickly he let it down.

"Peter, why are you doing this?"

"Doing what?" Peter asked nervously.

"We know." James said gently.

"I...it's true...that Dark Lord, he's supposed to become even more powerful than Dumbledore James!"

"So what, he is evil Peter, he wants to get rid of all mudbloods and halfbloods."

"I know."

That sentence made James raise his wand again, only now he was fully aware of it.

"You know that he would kill Lily?" "Or Remus for being a werewolf?"

Suddenly there was a scream further in the woods. James was off his guard for a second.

_Impedimenta!_

James was thrown off his feet and fell against a large tree. By the time he had his head straight again Peter was nowhere to be seen. He stood up and start running towards where the scream came from.


	21. Chapter 21

James stopped dead end when he had reached the place the scream came from. Sirius and Remus were both lying on the ground, Sirius holding on to an almost unconscious Remus for dear life. Against them stood Fenrir Greyback, along with the Slytherin's and Peter Pettigrew.

"I thought you said your filthy friends were still in the castle?" Lucius hissed mad.

"I thought they were!" Peter quickly defended himself.

_Petrificus Totalus!_ Bellatrix shrieked when she noticed James.

With a low _thud_ the black haired boy fell on the ground.

_This was it, this is where it all ends..._

Panic ruled James's mind. He heard footsteps approaching and soon he was dragged to his friends by Greyback.

"The Dark Lord can come every second now, should we finish them?" Narcissa asked nervously.

"No, he'll be pleased to see we caught a werewolf and two blood traitors." Lucius said.

James could see Sirius's eyes shooting in all directions, but it was useless, there was no way they could escape. Suddenly there was the sound of other footsteps getting closer. A young man came through the bushes. He had dark brown hair with similar eyes and a pale skin. Immediately Greyback fell on his knees. The Slytherin's who never had met the Dark Lord now understood this was him and quickly followed the werewolf.

"Greyback, what is all this?"

His voice sounded calm and controlled. Sirius couldn't believe that this man, who could only be eight years older than them by most, was the dark wizard that held the entire country in fear.

"Blood traitors and a werewolf my lord, they followed the students into the forest."

The man gave a quick nod. With a simple wave of his wand, James was released.

"What are your names?"

"James Potter."

"Potter, that's a pureblood family." "Why would you want to stop me?" "Do you know what my plans are?"

"Yes, you think that purebloods are better than others and what to get rid of everyone who isn't a pureblood." James said with as much hate as he could bear.

The man just smiled and looked at Sirius.

"And what about you?"

"I'm Sirius Black."

"Black?" Finally his calm tone was changed into surprise. He turned to Narcissa who stared at the ground and Bellatrix, who got a red face in an instante.

"Is this boy related to you, miss Black?"

"Unfortunately...this blood traitor is our cousin, my lord." Bellatrix whispered.

"The Potter family had always been known not to refer to blood status and therefore I am not surprised to see this boy here." "But the Black family...must be one of the most upstanding pure bloodlines there has ever been." "This will leave a mark on you both."

Narcissa and Bellatrix both nodded. "Yes my lord."

"And what do we have here?"

His dark eyes met with Remus's grey ones.

"R...Remus Lupin."

"Lupin...that is a name that I do not know." "Your bloodstatus?"

"This is the werewolf my lord." Greyback said.

"And what is your name?" Sirius suddenly asked.

The man's face changed from calmness to pure hate. Suddenly they could see why he was the dangerous wizard. The man raised his wand, ready to attack and Sirius closed his eyes.

"Tom Marvolo Riddle!"


	22. Chapter 22

Everyone looked to where the voice came from and immediately James felt the hope rushing through his body. There from the same path as he came from stood no one else than Albus Dumbledore. Never before had he seen so much hate in the headmasters eyes.

The Slytherin's cringed by the sight of their headmaster and Greyback quickly took a few steps back, but the dark wizard now known as Tom Riddle did not move an inch. Professor Dumbledore took a quick scan and then made a fast movement with his wand. Greyback was blown away against a large tree and fell to the ground, unconscious. Another movement with the wand and the three Slytherin's were tied together with an iron chain.

"Did you really think you would succeed tonight, Tom?"

James was surprised. He'd expected Dumbledore's voice to be strong and hateful, but his voice sounded calm and almost sad.

"Coming to Hogwarts alone, depending on some students and a man who never attended any kind of magical education?"

"Why shouldn't I be successful Professor Dumbledore?" Riddle said as calm. "The night has only just begun."

"And already I have defeated your helper and caged the young students that you have persuaded to work for you Tom." "Please stop this madness, it is not too late to change."

Tom Riddle laughed out loud. "Just because this plan did not work does not mean I'm giving up." "This is just the beginning..." "I will become the greatest wizard in all time, even greater than you or Grindelwald..."

Dumbledore's eyes narrowed and Riddle's grin grew bigger.

"Yes Dumbledore I know." "I know what you and your brother have done."

All the sudden, a bright light and a huge blast. Riddle had thrown a curse at Dumbledore who had managed to cast it aside. Now Riddle was running towards the end of the Hogwarts Ground. Professor Dumbledore went after him. Sirius looked at his friends. One was still stunned and the other too injured to walk.

"_Enervatio!_"

James let out a huge sigh of relief and quickly stood up. They both looked at Remus. At that moment Lily came running towards them.

"Professor Dumbledore told me to wait in the castle but I couldn't." "What happened?!"

She kneeled next to Remus, looking up to her boyfriend.

"Go after them, but be careful." Remus said knowing that was what the boys would do anyway.

"Go after who?" Lily asked getting more nervous by the second.

"Stay with Remus Lily, he'll tell you what happened." James said as he and Sirius already were running deeper into the forest.


	23. Chapter 23

"Stop it right there!"

Sirius and James stopped dead end and raised their wands. Back to back they now scanned the area to find the source of that scream.

"I can't see anything, can you?" James whispered.

"No..."

"No need for looking, I'm right here."

Out of the shadows stepped Peter Pettigrew.

"You!" Sirius yelled.

"Yes it's me." Peter said panting.

He had a weird look in his eyes. Almost wild.

"You shouldn't be pointing your wands at me, you should be standing next to me to serve the Dark Lord."

"You mean that boy Tom Riddle, doesn't seem as much as a treat to me Peter." James said calm.

Peter let out a curse James and Sirius never heard off. James quickly defended himself.

"What was that?!" Sirius cried out.

"A new trick I've learned from the Slytherin's." Peter said proudly.

Without another word he started to cast different types of spells towards the two boys which they managed to avoid barely. Sirius blew Peter to the ground with a quick hand move and without any hesitation the two Gryffindors ran further.

"What do we do when we find them?" James asked.

"Uh...hope Dumbledore killed the dark wizard?"

Suddenly a light beam barely missed Sirius and crashed into a nearby tree. The two boys looked behind while running to see Peter in pursue.

"_What,_ how the hell did he get so fast?!" Sirius shrieked. "For years we carried him up all the stairs of Hogwarts and _now_ the rat can keep up?!"

James aimed over his shoulder. _Stupify! _It missed.

James and Sirius ran into an open space deep into the forest and stopped. There in the middle were Professor Dumbledore and Tom Riddle in a fierce duel. The two wizards were almost not noticeable by the lights of all their spells cast to each other. Riddle's dark eyes spotted the two boys and an evil grin appeared. He raised his wand and opened his mouth. James reacted just in time. He pulled Sirius with him behind a large oak tree.

_Avada Kedavra!_

Green light and air rushing close by them and then a thud. Sirius and James opened their eyes. Just a few centimetres away from them lay Peter. He had caught up with them but didn't realize what was coming towards him when Sirius and James jumped out of the way. A few moments later more footsteps emerged and Remus and Lily stopped at Peter's body.

_Expelliarmus!_

Tom Riddle's wand flew out of his hands and ended in Dumbledore's.

"It ends here Tom."

Riddle still had a grin on his face.

"No Dumbledore, it has just begun."

_Stupify! Impedimenta! Expelliarmus! Petrificus Totalus! _

Riddle had tried to pull out a wand of one of the Slytherin students but now he was on the ground, unconscious and standing at the end of the open space were four Gryffindor students with their wands raised.

"O my god, did we kill him?" Lily whispered.

"No miss Evans, just knocked him off his socks." Dumbledore said.

The five remaining people slowly walked to the middle.

"What happens to him now?" James asked.

"The Dementors of Azkaban will give him the Kiss and though I am not fond of them, I will personally be there to see it happen." Dumbledore said harsh. "After all, he is responsible for influencing children and even the murder of one."

A moment of silence came when they all looked towards the path they just came from. Tears silently rolled off Lily's cheeks and James pulled her in a hug.

"As for you four, you'd better get back to the castle." "I will take care of everything here, but if you would be so kind to wake Professor Mcgonagall and tell her to come and bring the other three heads of the houses."

Four nods came as answer and the four friends slowly walked away.

"And children?"

They turned around and asked as one. "Yes Professor?"

"I would wish to thank you all, tonight you have not only saved my and your own life, but increasingly more than you can ever imagine."


	24. Chapter 24

_Tom Marvolo Riddle was given the Kiss of the Dementor the very same night our four heroes encountered him. Therefore the era of Lord Voldemort never begun. _

_James Potter married Lily Evans and together they had a son, Harry James Potter and two years later a daughter, Sarah Lily Potter. They lived in Godric's Hollow in peace, even occasionally visiting Lily's sister Petunia and her family during summer vacation. _

_Sirius Black believe it or not got also married. A young girl called Caroline whom he met at the Ministry during his traineeship in becoming an Auror along with James. They got two sons, the first one was born a year after Lily and James got Harry. He is called Regulus Sirius Black. Because Voldemort never came in the picture and therefore Sirius's parents weren't pushing their youngest son to become a death eater, Regulus and Sirius came along pretty well. Their second born came three years later, named after Caroline's father John and grandfather Paul. _

_Remus Lupin lived a long time alone, yet always to be found watching at least one of his best friends children. Unsure if he could build a life with someone due to his condition he didn't marry until all the children attended Hogwarts. Unfortunately he never met Tonks but found love with Arriëtta, a witch that works at St Holisto's Hospital. She did not mind Remus being a werewolf as her grandfather was one as well. Therefore she was able to help Remus after a full moon night. After long discussion, they decided that having a child would take too much risk as both sides had werewolf blood and decided to adopt a twin. A baby girl Kathleen after Arriëtta's mother and a baby boy called John after Remus's father, though this did make confusion sometimes when they visited Sirius. _

_It would take until the end of time to describe how the disappearing of one person would change so many family's destiny. Needless to say that all changes were for the better. _

_THE END_


End file.
